Man trapped in 1,000-metre deep cave in Germany

More than 100 rescuers are attempting to free a researcher who is trapped in a
1,000-metre deep cave in southern Germany

5:01PM BST 10 Jun 2014

Over 100 emergency workers struggled on Tuesday to rescue an injured man trapped after a rock fall in a 1,000 metre-deep cave in southern Germany in an operation that could take days or weeks to bring him out.

The 52-year old man, one of the researchers who discovered the cave, suffered injuries to his head and chest in a rock fall early on Sunday and cannot climb back to the surface on his own as the ascent involves steep shafts and narrow tunnels.

Riesending cave - the name means "massive thing" - is the deepest cave system in Germany, with tunnels, shafts and caves extending over 11 miles. One rescue official told German television it was one of the most difficult caves in Europe.

Located near Bavaria's border with Austria, it is 1,148 metres deep and it took one of the man's companions 12 hours to climb out and call for help. The other stayed with the researcher until the first rescue teams arrived.

A specialised Swiss cave rescue team was on its way down to bring back Johann Westhauser after other rescuers including an Austrian doctor had made their way down earlier. Communication so far has been limited to a telephone line 350 metres deep, but there are plans to install communications links deeper down.